Captain Aidan O’Brien revels in Elmstead’s Two Counties title success

Elmstead cricket club captain, Aidan O’Brien, has hailed the achievement of his unfancied side after the Vicarage Meadow outfit clinched the Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Championship Division One title last weekend.

Plucky Elmstead, tipped for relegation by many at the start of the summer, following promotion the previous year, scooped the title for the first time in their history, against all odds.

“We deserved to be up there, and young and old celebrated back at the club this weekend,” said O’Brien, after Saturday’s final-day match at Braintree had been abandoned as a draw.

“We have a young, dynamic side, but it was also very special for some of the older players, like Ady Garnham, who has been at the club for 15 years, and also our chairman Jon Butcher, who also came into the side a few times during the season.

“It’s a strange feeling, because we never dreamt this would happen,” said O’Brien.